15 PLAYERS THE COWBOYS COULD DRAFT IN 2011: Cam Newton #2 of the Auburn Tigers celebrates after their 56-17 win over the South Carolina Gamecocks during the 2010 SEC Championship at Georgia Dome on December 4, 2010 in Atlanta, Georgia.

Who will the Cowboys take with the No. 9 pick in this April's NFL draft? If you believe in mock drafts, Nebraska cornerback Prince Amukamara could very well be your guy.

Amukamara seems to be the popular choice right now, appearing as the Cowboys' choice in nine of 20 recent mock drafts. But it's far from a consensus, with six different players appearing as the Cowboys' first-round pick in those projections. Behind Amukamara, Wisconsin DE/DT J.J. Watt and Alabama DT Marcell Dareus are the two next popular choices. Both appeared four times in the 20 mock drafts.

Conventional wisdom seems to have the Cowboys targeting either a cornerback or defensive lineman, with all but one of the mock drafts projecting the Cowboys to target either a cornerback, defensive end or defensive tackle.

Here's a roundup of some of the latest projections, as compiled by special contributor Jon Machota.

FoxSports.com:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “To be certain, a host of second- and third-tier quarterbacks like David Garrard, Rex Grossman and Shaun Hill lit up the Cowboys in 2010. Cornerback and safety are the most pressing needs on the roster, and I think Dallas goes with a defensive back over an offensive tackle with this pick. Though he didn’t rack up the interceptions in 2010, Amukamara lived up to the hype: He was an All-American, Big 12 defensive player of the year and Jim Thorpe Award finalist. He'd be a welcomed addition to Rob Ryan's unit.”

National Football Post:

Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina: “Quinn was the best pure pass rusher I saw on tape during the 2009 season and getting a potential blue-chip pass rusher at this stage is a nice little grab for the Cowboys at nine.”

AOL Fanhouse:

J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin: “The Cowboys have multiple free agents at the defensive end position scheduled to leave this off-season, and since the organization has always placed a premium on building a strong front seven on defense, it makes sense to bring in Watt, who could be the best 3-4 end in this draft.”

SBNation.com:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “This might be a hair too early for Amukamara, but he'd have a hard time not improving the Cowboys' secondary. Whether he played at corner or safety, Amukamara would fill a huge need for Dallas at the back end of a still-talented defense.”

NewNFLDraft.com:

Tyron Smith, OT, USC: “This is a bold pick because a lot of people don’t even have Tyron Smith as the top offensive tackle in this 2011 NFL Mock Draft. However, Tyron Smith has put on some good weight and he is now over 300 lbs. I believe that he will be a Top 15 pick and the top offensive tackle off the board because I believe he is the most athletic tackle in this draft. Trent Williams came into the combine being a mid to late prospect much like Tyron Smith and he ended up being a Top 10 prospect much like I think what will happen with Tyron Smith.”

WalterFootball.com:

Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama: “The decision for the Cowboys is made a lot easier here by the top two corners coming off the board and Marcell Dareus falling. I would also still not rule out California's Cameron Jordan (my last projection) being the choice here.

“Either way, this defense was a major liability in 2010. In more than half of their games they allowed more points than even a top offense could be expected to keep up with. They were 2-9 when allowing 24-plus points and only 5-5 when scoring 26-plus points. Which side of the ball do you think is the bigger problem?

“It is not like their defense lacks talent. In 2009 they were second in scoring (15.6). Some passion and new blood should provide them a spark, and Dareus comes from a winning program.”

FFtoolbox.com:

J.J. Watt, DE/DT, Wisconsin: “DE Marcus Spears is the Cowboys top free agent. If they chose not to invest the dollars and years needed to keep him, expect Jerry Jones and company to select a replacement early on. Tabbing a warrior like Watt would do exactly that. Corner Prince Amukamara is the other likely option if the Cowboys choose to address their other main defensive need.”

ESPN’s Mel Kiper:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “As with [Patrick] Peterson to San Fran, Cowboys fans might believe the team would be better suited addressing offensive tackle or even safety. But because the mock draft can't account for draft board trades, if the draft played out this way with the picks ahead of them, the Cowboys could do a lot worse than to grab the best pure technician at the corner position. Amukamara should transition quickly, and Terence Newman isn't getting any younger.”

ESPN’s Todd McShay:

J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin: “The team's most pressing need is for a 5-technique (defensive end) in its 3-4 scheme. The Cowboys are also aging along the offensive line and need some depth/future starters at inside linebacker and safety. Dallas would have a tough call in this scenario, but Watt will continue to fly up boards because of his versatility and nonstop motor. Watt is capable of making an immediate impact on all three downs as a rookie. Finding a player like Watt to generate inside pressure would be a great complement to OLB DeMarcus Ware's edge rushing ability.”

SI.com's Don Banks:

Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama: “Cornerback makes the top of the need list in Dallas, but the two top 10 prospects are already gone. Dareus would offer great value at No. 9, and he's a proven talent who thrived in Nick Saban's 3-4 defense at Alabama. He'd likely play at end in the NFL, and his knack for penetrating and making things happen in the backfield would no doubt help the Cowboys' pass defense by increasing the pass pressure up front.”

NFLDraftDog.com:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “The Prince has excellent size (6' 1" 204) and might even move to free safety. An amazing defensive back that could be a top 10 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft. The Cowboys could get an offensive tackle here, but the Prince is too good to pass up. CB Terrance Newman is getting old and his skills have greatly diminished.”

DraftSeason.com:

Prince Amukamara CB, Nebraska: “At times during the 2010 season the Cowboys secondary was unwatchable. I think if Amukamara falls to the 9th pick overall the Cowboys would be nuts to pass on him. Really there isn’t much that separates Prince from Patrick Peterson.”

TheSportsBank.com:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “Like Ndamukong Suh last season, the Huskers have produced a top NFL defensive prospect with a very difficult name to spell and pronounce. And like Suh last year, he shot up NFL Draft big boards later in the seasonal cycle. He returned this fall without seeking a round projection from the NFL Draft advisory committee. Dallas needs a lot of help in stopping the pass, and (Patrick) Peterson is a Top 5 prospect.”

FootballsFuture.com:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “While the safeties may be more responsible for the Cowboys coverage woes, Amukamara is simply too good to pass on at this point.”

DraftKing.com:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “Dallas needs help on its offensive line, at ILB, and at safety. No player at any of those spots is a value pick at this spot in this particular draft, but there are some who think that Amukamara would be best served to transition to safety in the NFL, similar to what Malcolm Jenkins did as a corner coming out of Ohio State in the 2009 Draft, who is now a starter at safety for New Orleans.”

NFLMocks.com:

Cameron Jordan, DE, California: “I think a very likely pick is also OL Tyron Smith or Nate Solder if available. Offensive linemen are ALWAYS over-drafted because they provide exceptional positional value. I think, though that one of these two will come off the board before this spot, especially if Smith gains a little weight and impresses at the combine (which is very possible). Jordan dominated the Senior Bowl and would be an instant upgrade at DE for the Cowboys with his versatility and impressive tape.”

DraftAce.com:

Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama: “I think Dareus is a candidate to fall much further than expected due to some questions about his work ethic and lack of production in 2010. However, Jerry Jones isn’t one to balk at a player with character concerns. Defensive end is high on the Cowboys wish list, and Dareus should be intriguing to them because of his experience in the 3-4 system at Alabama. The Cowboys want to turn things around fast, so drafting a player who’s ready to contribute immediately makes sense.”

NewSportDraft.com:

JJ Watt, DE/DT, Ohio State: “This is a very deep draft class for 3-4 defensive ends. The Cowboys probably could use a top tier tackle with this 2011 NFL Mock Draft pick such as Nate Solder or Tyron Smith. However, for a tackle I see this pick a bit of a reach and I don’t believe this will be the best option for them in the Top 10 picks of this draft. Other options in this 2011 NFL Draft are 3-4 defensive ends such as Cameron Jordan and Cameron Heyward. Another good option with this pick would be a player such as Robert Quinn, Von Miller, or Justin Houston as rush linebackers to play opposite DeMarcus Ware. With this current pick however I am going against all of these picks and I am having them taking JJ Watt.”

CBSSports.com's Rob Rang:

Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska: “The offensive line might be a greater area of concern for the Cowboys, but with no offensive tackle in this class worthy of a top-10 selection, Dallas would be forced to look elsewhere. Mike Jenkins has great talent, but suffered through a sophomore slump in 2010 after flashing as a rookie. Veteran Terence Newman remains an adequate starter, but in a division blessed with the skilled receivers the NFC East boasts, the Cowboys would be wise to upgrade with Amukamara, who entered the year as the top-rated senior prospect in the country and did little to change that status with an All-American season.”

To post a comment, log into your chosen social network and then add your comment below. Your comments are subject to our Terms of Service and the privacy policy and terms of service of your social network. If you do not want to comment with a social network, please consider writing a letter to the editor.